Darkest Loves
by Nightclaw
Summary: ShadowClan is the darkest clan of the forest. The elders say that the cold winds from the north blow over the ShadowClan cats and chill their hearts. They are the fierce, the proud, the dark. But love can always be found, even, in the deepest shadows.
1. Never meant to be

_Dedicated to Blackstarsmostloyalwarrior, Hawkflight_

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This story is a story about ShadowClan pairings dedicated to Blackstarsmostloyalwarrior, Hawkflight. The first three are for her and I may write more if I get some good requests from reviewers. However I will not do crossclan parings and there are a couple of ShadowClan ones I won't do. I like original ones. Please R&R!

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The night was still, nothing stirred within the darkness except a cat. He was a dark brown tom with scruffy unkempt fur and amber eyes that searched the shadows eagerly. The wind blew softly passed him, parting the fronds of a small fern, where an equally tattered gray she-cat sat.

She looked up in surprise as he entered the clearing in which she sat. "Raggedstar?" She asked. She dipped her head respectfully in greeting to him. The brown tom purred as he sat beside her.

"Come now Yellowfang, its just me." He blinked affectionately at her. Yellowfang turned her sad orange gaze upon him.

"Hush Raggedstar. You may be respected here but that won't last if we are found. We must be quiet, you can never tell who may be listening." She told him in a low, worried voice. The brown tom's eyes were downcast and he sighed unhappily.

"Yellowfang, how are we to keep this up? You are expecting kits soon. Someone will find out. I just want to enjoy this while it lasts. I no longer care what they think. I am tired with this false pretence. Is this so bad? You are also respected within our clan." He meowed hopefully, but the gray she-cat shook her head immediately.

"No. We cannot. You knew that from the start. We could never tell anyone." She explained. A puzzled gaze crossed Raggedstar's face.

"But-" He began but Yellowfang lifted her tail tip to his mouth.

"No, don't say it or I might agree. You know that I want to let every cat know as much as you do but it's just not possible. Think of our kit's futures if no one else's." She meowed, breathing hard. Her shoulders seemed to carry a great weight, the weight of a secret hidden for so long.

Raggedstar and Yellowfang sat in silence for a long time just listening to the faint sounds of camp a long way away. The wind whistled softly and the trees seemed to sigh. The pair of ShadowClan cats felt like sighing themselves. So much they wanted, so little they could have.

"The good of the clan must come above all else." Raggedstar mewed softly but his words did not sound like his own. They sounded forced, a quote from another leader. The leader he was not. Yellowfang bowed her head just as reluctantly though it had been she who had refused the great leader.

"There is no way we can be together." Raggedstar choked out his eyes full of pain and misery. "No way." Yellowfang whirled upon the brown raggedy tom.

"Oh will you stop?" She cried in anguish. "You are not the only one who is suffering here. How many sacrifices do you think I've made? How many risks have I taken for us? Us. We are together in this Raggedstar." Yellowfang started loud but gradually her voice lowered into an agonized whisper.

Raggedstar stared at her for a moment before turning his head away in shame. The gray she-cat immediately regretted her harsh words.

"I'm sorry Raggedstar." She mewed softly. "I love you, you know?" She asked. Raggedstar lowered his shaggy head slowly.

"Yes, dear Yellowfang. I love you too." He whispered. "But we were never meant to be." Yellowfang bowed her head too her eyes downcast and her words full of sorrow.

"No." She agreed sadly gazing up into the great leader's miserable eyes. "We were never meant to be."

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**Very sad. Review!**


	2. A flutter of hope

**Okay, this is a strange pairing, its Tawnypelt and Blackstar but its not completely weird. If you can't deal with that pairing then skip this chapter but I think it actually turned out pretty well. Read on!**

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The sun shone brightly through the gray clouds, shedding light on even the darkest corners of ShadowClan's camp. The camp was not still, no, anything but that. Cats went about their daily duties, the apprentices groaned as they cleaned the elder's den, warriors chattered amongst themselves as they shared tongues or set off on yet another patrol. In fact, only one cat was being true to the name of ShadowClan, the darkest Clan in the forest.

She was not a small cat, but neither was she huge. She lurked in the shadow of a tall tree, watching some apprentices tussle with each other, brooding deep unknown thoughts. Unknown to every cat except her of course.

She laughed wryly as she though of this, feeling the sharp tang of bitterness in her mouth once again as she thought of him. Tall, the purest white fur she'd ever seen and striking black paws.

Why would he fall for her of all cats? She was just some half-clan spawn that he was too proud to throw out, as it would look bad for the mightiest clan in the forest wouldn't it?

She whirled around unsheathing her claws at a noise behind her and there he was, Mr. perfect white tom himself.

He stood still as always, his eyes stony, as always.

"Tawnypelt. I want you to go on a patrol." He meowed calmly. "I'll be leading it and Rowanclaw and Jaggedtooth shall accompany us." He told her turning away. She nodded though it was already too late, he'd turned his back and he expected her to follow. The tortoiseshell sighed unhappily and followed the patrol out into the forest.

The forest was rather dark and the patrol was almost silent as it slipped through the forest. Birds chirped, completely oblivious to the ShadowClan hunting party below them.

"Meet back here." Blackstar ordered the rest of the patrol before he turned away and disappeared into some bushes. Jaggedtooth shrugged then he went in the opposite direction Rowanclaw followed and the tortoiseshell she-cat found herself alone.

Tawnypelt sighed, remembering the hunting patrols in ThunderClan, when the cats had stayed together. She wished it were that way now, just so that she could watch him hunt.

She imagined he would be so graceful in his hunting. He was always graceful, cold and proud, and way out of her league. Still, she could not help the way her eyes followed him every which way he went.

An idea sparked in the she-cats mind. What if she followed him? Then she could see him hunt! The idea took hold of her mind. Yes, what was the worst thing that could happen?

"Tawnypelt!" An annoying voice snapped behind her. The tortoiseshell cat winced and whirled around to see Rowanclaw's eyes narrowed meanly at her. "Have you been standing here all this time?" He asked cruelly, beginning to circle her.

"I've already caught a thrush and _two_ voles." He told her. Tawnypelt glared at him wordlessly unable to deny his accusations.

"Rowanclaw? What is this?" Tawnypelt's heart sank as _he_ stepped out of the bushes, putting down a bird that he had just caught. Rowanclaw's eyes gleamed, eager to see the tortoiseshell cat being caught out.

"She hasn't hunted anything at all." He told Blackstar, glancing slyly at Tawnypelt. Blackstar narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Is this true?" he asked her. Tawnypelt lowered her head in shame. "Then you will have to be punished." The white tom meowed sternly.

"Until I judge it right that this punishment should be lifted you shall not be allowed from my sight." He declared. Tawnypelt jerked her head up and gaped at the big tom. Had she heard him right? Rowanclaw was wearing a similar expression to her own.

"What?" He asked in disbelief. 'That's not a punishment!" He cried. Blackstar whirled upon the bully.

"Are you questioning my judgement?" He snarled. Rowanclaw's eyes flew wide open and he stuttered in his shock before he shook his head.

"No- not, of course not, no, no Blackstar." He stammered at last.

"Good." The white tom growled. Tawnypelt stared at her leader, surprise still clear in her wide green eyes.

"Come, Tawnypelt." Blackstar ordered. Tawnypelt gazed after him as she vanished into the bushes. Was she imagining it or had that been amusement and glee in her leader's eyes?

"Tawnypelt!" Blackstar called impatiently. The tortoiseshell jumped and hurried after him. No, he would never love her. But as she picked her way through ShadowClan's marshes the faint flutter of hope stirred in her heart.

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**Do you like the end? Or do you think is really strange? Review and tell me!**


	3. Magic words

**This one is an interesting one. R&R!**

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"Russetfur! Blackfoot!" The cats chanted joyfully. "Russetfur! Blackfoot!" The two new warriors sat with their back straight, proudly gazing down at the Clan they were now warriors of. They jumped down gracefully and then the false pretence of being warrior-like faded.

"They called my name louder than they did yours!" Blackfoot challenged playfully, narrowing his eyes at the ginger she-cat. But the ginger warrior was no longer interested in his games.

"Not here!" She hissed softly. "Someone will see!" Blackfoot sat up feeling hurt. Sure, they were warriors but surely they could still play games? Russetfur sensed his hurt and her eyes smiled sadly at him.

"Later, okay?" She meowed, turning away. The black tom dipped his head a little reluctantly and followed her into the warrior's den. He could not believe his eyes as he gazed around the luxurious den. It was huge!

Russetfur purred in amusement but she too was amazed. She had always known the warrior's den was a great honour but to see it with her own eyes was certainly something to behold.

Blackfoot felt the urge to roll down and just stare up at the wide roof but he resisted it just in case Russetfur got mad at him again. His white paws began to prickle as time passed and Russetfur just seemed to stare into the depths of the den. He stared there too but he could not see anything of particular interest.

"Russetfur?" He asked puzzled and the ginger she-cat jerked her head up abruptly.

"Oh, yes. I was just thinking of how nice it would be to sleep there." She explained. Blackfoot nodded in agreement but personally he didn't think it was all that interesting. Russetfur seemed to be struggling with her words.

"Blackfoot, there something I wanted to ask you." She told him slowly. Blackfoot was surprised but he nodded obligingly. Russetfur hesitated. "When you're leader can I be your deputy?" She burst out but it did not come as a relief.

Somehow the black tom doubted that those words were the ones the ginger warrior had meant. He nodded once more.

"Yes of course." He agreed. "I've promised you that since we were apprentices haven't I?" Russetfur purred but not in amusement, more in anxiety.

"Mouse-brain." She mewed. "We were apprentices yesterday." But even her words were spoken nervously. Blackfoot began to get curious. What did Russetfur want to say?

"Blackfoot, I-" The new warrior broke off and tilted her head sideways in thought. "Blackfoot, when I was a young apprentice I promised myself something." She began. The black warrior nodded, hanging on to her every word.

"I promised myself I'd tell you something on the day that we became warriors together." She meowed and Blackfoot leaned forward in interest. He heard her soft voice in his ears.

"I love you." She whispered to him. Blackfoot was so surprised he almost fell over, but he could feel his joy growing. Russetfur gazed at him tentatively, hoping for a positive reaction.

"Well I wasn't expecting that." Was all the black warrior could get out. Russetfur purred hoarsely and fearfully.

"So you don't hate me?" She asked hesitantly. Blackfoot gathered up his courage and leaned forwards again towards her.

"No." He meowed. "Quite the opposite actually." He told her. Russetfur turned her hope filled gaze upon him. He took a deep breath and said the magic words.

"I love you." He mewed softly. Russetfur purred in joy. _He said the magic words_ was all she could think. _He said the magic words._

**What do you think? Did you like it? R&R! Okay, request a ShadowClan Pairing in your review and I may do it! Review!**

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